Programmable Magnetic Polymer Networks with Branching and Mesh Topology

We design and fabricate micromagnetic particles with programmable pairwise interactions that self-assemble into two-dimensional magnetic polymers forming branched and meshed networks. The building blocks are micron-scale panels embedded with nanomagnets that translate and rotate at an air–water interface, where capillary effects are minimized so that magnetic forces dominantly govern assembly. Beginning with one-dimensional chains, we control particle sequencing and introduce magnetic crosslinkers to generate branches and crosslinks. By tuning dipole placement, particle geometry, and the driving protocol, we program polymer length, stiffness, and connectivity, enabling transitions between polycrystalline and amorphous meshes. This platform establishes a route to synthetic, reconfigurable polymer networks in which local magnetic design deterministically sets global topology, thus opening opportunities for programmable matter and adaptive soft materials.